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It is possible that Melky Cabrera could still end up winning the NL batting title despite the steps taken to make him ineligible.

The procedure being employed creates a potential loophole. What they did was agree to make a one time only suspension of Rule 10.22(a). That is the rule which allows a player who has fallen short of qualifying for the batting crown to have the missing plate appearances added to his total and his average calculated on that basis. If his average is still the highest despite the penalty, he wins the title.

But.....

The qualification rule for the batting title is a formula..3.1 plate appearances per team game played, which for 162 games works out to 502 plate appearances.

Melky is one plate appearance shy of qualification, and ineligible to benefit from Rule 10.22 (a).

What if the Giants have a rain out in one of their final week of games? If it has no bearing on the outcome of the post season races, it would not be rescheduled, just not played.

Which would lower the number of plate appearances for Cabrera to qualify to 498.9...and presto! He is now qualified and Rule 10.22 (a) has no application at all.

Rule 10.22(a) Comment: For example, if a Major League schedules 162 games for each
club, 502 plate appearances qualify (162 times 3.1 equals 502) a player for a batting, slugging or onbase percentage championship. If a National Association league schedules 140 games for each club,
378 plate appearances qualify (140 times 2.7 equals 378) a player for a batting, slugging or on-base
percentage championship. Fractions of a plate appearance are to be rounded up or down to the closest
whole number. For example, 162 times 3.1 equals 502.2, which is rounded down to a requirement
of 502.

EDIT: I was unaware there was an On Base and Slugging Champion.

Miguel Cabrera is not in the running for the quintuple crown. Joe Mauer, Prince Fielder and Mike Trout all have higher OBP. He does lead in slugging

Upon reflection it struck me that in the past MLB has not interpreted the above in the manner you are explaining. In 1981 and 1994, there were official batting champions and it was based on the number of games each team played, not the number which were scheduled and then canceled. Applying the rule as you describe, there could not have been batting champions because no one would have qualified.

Unless there is a rule which distinguishes a game canceled by a strike from a game canceled by inclement weather, Melky is still in the running for the crown.

Upon reflection it struck me that in the past MLB has not interpreted the above in the manner you are explaining. In 1981 and 1994, there were official batting champions and it was based on the number of games each team played, not the number which were scheduled and then canceled. Applying the rule as you describe, there could not have been batting champions because no one would have qualified.

Unless there is a rule which distinguishes a game canceled by a strike from a game canceled by inclement weather, Melky is still in the running for the crown.

Hmmm...I'll check into it.

Giants also announced that Melky would not be part of their post season roster.

It'll be interesting to see if Guillermo Mota, who has been suspended twice for failing drug tests, will be part of the post season roster.

Giants also announced that Melky would not be part of their post season roster.

It'll be interesting to see if Guillermo Mota, who has been suspended twice for failing drug tests, will be part of the post season roster.

Yeah, you could tell from interviews with the players in the clubhouse that the consensus was that they did not want Cabrera back. It was always phrased politely, as in "If the club decides to bring him back we will go forward from there", but no one was saying "Wow! It will be great to have Melky back!" As is typical, Buster Posey was the most honest and candid. He said "If they decided to bring him back, we will be okay, but we will also be having to answer a lot of questions about the situation." I took that to mean "We don't need the distraction."

I'm wondering if the Giants go to a four man rotation for the post season, which of the five will be dropped. Obviously Cain and Bumgarner are safe. Lincecum has recovered to have a good second half, but was horrible in his last outing, still, I can't see him being asked to sit or do bullpen duty.

That leaves Zito and Vogelsong. After reeling off 20 straight quality starts, Volgelsong then got bombed in his next seven outings, but finally had a decent one in his last start.

Zito has settled into a pattern of consistently good enough without being spectacular. The Giants have won his last ten starts. Zito's ERA at the beginning of those ten games was 4.19. After his win today it is.....4.19.

I wouldn't want to have to make the decision. If one of them does get made into a reliever, he will probably still get plenty of work. Except for Cain, none of the rotation guys seem to be able to get through seven innings this season.

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